Challenges

This week's Bloggers' Challenge is "A Stitch in Time." Here are some cards I finished this week. I enjoy stitching...by hand, by machine, and I enjoy adding beads to my cards too.

This one is machine stitched, based on the "Card Trick" quilt block pattern, using Daisy D's papers.

This one, for a dear friend's birthday today, is hand stitched and beaded, using the same basic "easel" card design, a 3-d rose, and some old Anna Griffin papers.

Now for something completely different for me!

The current TGIF challenge is "Piece from Heaven;" "Our Creative Corner" wants three different embellishments (I used Crystal Lacquer, ribbon, and pearls); "Saturday's Workout" challenge technique is to use Perfect Pearls with Distress Inks (I used several Distress Inks with Ranger "Perfect Gold" Perfect Pearls on the angel' wings on my tag); and the "So Artful" challenge is Angel's tears.

So for this card, I created the backgrounds by pouncing Broken China Distress Ink on my craft sheet, spritzing with water, then dipping the cardstock into that. Then I heat dried, and stamped the Crafty Individuals angels with Vintage Photo Distress Ink, which I then painted with a little gold Perfect Pearls powder, just on the wings and the gate (It's really difficult to get a good picture of the glimmer, sorry). Then I overstamped with a Stampendous Crackle stamp using Shabby Shutters Distress Ink, and outlined the tag with Peeled Paint Distress Ink. I put one tiny drop of 3-d Crystal Lacquer beneath the eye of the angel facing heavenwards (although you can't see THAT in my photo either, sorry! I loaned my good Canon camera to my son this weekend, and I'm using another one which doesn't take good close-up pictures at all). Then I stamped the Quietfire sentiment over a separate piece of Broken China prepared cardstock, then stamped and gold embossed these beautiful Crafty Individuals flourishes on the left side and the bottom right corner. I was trying to create a "cloud/heavenly" feel with the Broken China ink. I added an organza bow and Kaisercraft pearls, then outlined the blue and green panels with Krylon 18 Kt Gold Leafing Ink. I find distressing exceptionally challenging, so this card really forced me to work well outside my comfort zone.

Thanks so much for visiting today. I hope you enjoy an artsy, creative weekend!